Shot blast cleaner for coil type steam generators



March 2, 1954 A. CLARKSON SHOT BLAST CLEANER FOR COIL TYPE STEAM GENERATOR'S Filed March l, 1951 E? ll I Patented Mar. 2, 19514 asians.;

T4115... invention relates.. to water heatersand.v` steam generators of... the.. general type` .ingvhicl'i thlawatentoJJeJneategllorconverted,.into-stearnis..` Passed.: through`` one.. or more` banks o r .coils,of. tubing; positioned; toreceiveheat..y fromja hire; Chambelt The-invention-dealspartioularlymith the.'problem,. ofifremoving.. mineralv deposits which@ accumulatejn. the. b.oiler'tube's,. in.. the. form. of .1. scalelandisludge.

` The.watenwhichisordinar1y. available .foiuuse 10 in.boil ersl.and.lsteam generators usually. .pontainl minerals. in. solution. andthese...min'erals, upon,k conversionof the Water intosteain, adheretothe.. iimersurfalcesoflthe'. boiler tubes in. the form. ofL

scale.; IngordrLto1maintain .eiloient .operation 15.

ofisuohboiler...onsteamlgeeraton itis necessary' to remove these minalldpbsitsifrom.timeto; time?.

Ei some situations .the Water ispretreated with n cheicalsitocoaglatethe .materials thereinaruzl; e0 thinnrals, orat least apartof '.th'em, are vre'- moledf from 0the Water before it i is delivered 'linto' the;boi1er` While .this pretreatment vof' the Water l removes abortion of tleminer'a1s`,iit .do'esnotlre: Q move al1 of ,ftheIIL Consequently,.fthe.residual.D minerals collecti in. the .tubes ..of the.lboiler.. and form "'s'cale...v Furthermore.. 'the ypretreatment..ofl thelwate; ordinarily req'uifes -ailargel amount of; equipment which; inm'ost situations, iendersthel. pretreatment' method inpraotical.-l It.-.is.,' theree'v :so fre customary,. in nost ,situational to. introduce water-treatment V chemicals into; the '..boilenlalong..v withifthe feedmateithe said chemcalsibeinggin tended to minimize the forming of scale .bymaine tining.the`; mineral deposits .inthe `form of ya V35 SIudge MWhch Q canlbe iiushed;` out A of the boilers tubes.; The-dii`oultylwith.this method. is., that .l thelfchem'icals j'ordinarilyus'ed. do notreact V.with allfoi the `minerals. in. the... water. .and lthe heat. appliedto.the.tubingpitheboilertends to solidify 4o an'f hardenlthe .accumulatedsludge ins'uchlmar'i-y ner..tha t itfcanlnotbeushed out..of..the boiler... by washing, Consequently, the removal vof the l agoumulatedsludge andi the hardenedscale from.4 the-gifllhesebmthe-ll1sual. .i-Washing .of fthe cols. with... 45 mineral isolyenis..a.n.d. bxtihause of mechanical-.2 means, nmlyesishutfdown.off..the, boiler 1or steam.. generator for substantial duration of time.. If thoboileruinstallation. is in a locationgin. which the waterstof` heavily .ladenwith minerals. for..eXam-. 5o ple, if-the Water.containsr high percentageson lirrnaL iron, orJ salt,- the,.shutdownsof...the boiler.; forpnrpose pfleaningare so frequentes `to make.` it imeconomical to use .awater tube boler .in .suchl locations.;v 55

Marey, 1951, serial1\i0..213,42i Ziolife. (CL

A principal .object of i the.. presentinvention..isa lio-.provide .an improved.apparatus..fonremovingi tha seale. and mineral sludge,... from boilers.-l and; steam generators o f the., abovei. general class,..

5r Wherebvsaid sludge.. and soalecan.be..renoovediv from. tnne.to... timewithout 1materiallyl ,.intererng.,y Withthe k. norn'ial .operationsoi.thebo.iler..or steam; generator.. Y

' Acoordinglto the-presenninvention. alquantityi ofiabrasives, preferablvinltheiform ofl-smallspele.l lets, arejintroduced:into thelboilerotubesmiththes feed Watersothatthe pellets are...carriegirloy.-thew water pressure through. the' tubing.. of ithei boiler. and,. thereby..dislodge annacdoumulation oismine.,l erals in the formof.Escales.beforesuoh:aeournln lation beoomeslhardened in. amarillento-,restrict the, areaof the. tube. The p'ellets orvotherr abras.. sivesdused .arescreened .out .of..th e fluididischargedi from .the boiler. .and returnedotora., reoeptacle,.'fii;\y readiness...toL be .agair-igpassed through -the fboile;I tubingatwill. A'ifli'ernineral scalelandisludgeme.. movediromthe .boilediisoarried;by...the mixtures of water .and.steamlintdasteamiseparaton from?. which.. the.I sludge. and scale. may be'. discharged; from. thet. system.. w'

The. .invention can .best i be,.described..andeex. plainedifby.. referenoetothe. accompanyingsdraw: ing, wherein Fig- 1f illustrates. somewhat i schematically, i at preferred embodiment, as applied. to..a..water..t'ube-n boiler Q adapted.l foi` use eitherr asi. a.. hott. water-l heatenorasteam generator.; .andiA Fi'g.2 is an Aenlarged sectionr takenatJmetlf-25: of Fig. 1, showing,aldetailof-construction;

Af water.heating.unit .1.oonsist'ir'1gr .of la, 4coileof tubing .l Ulis disposed in' heat-.receivingrelationiitos asour'ce of'heat, forieikamplealburnerj l; ardlisg connected at itsv linlt end to .the-,interior .,ofa .1101.- loiiv. fitting.. l 2 forming a' contiii'uation .of a .feed .i w'at'er 4supplyeoon'duit f. f3 .-.havin a-. shutoffsvalvil- I4 .thesa'idapipe l Bleadiriglfroi aA conventional@ waterfed pump riotJshov/n'.- Atpipe illhavingt` a .shut-01T :valve A` I Gimay, if Adesired,.be provided forli connection toi a'sourceof v'v'ateri.othertlianefrome` tle feed pump solthatwater/mayhbedlivered une drpressure into` said .:co`i'1;:\vhenr the feed; pumplis; notlbengoperatedif f "ThebiitletL-endsof -the coil Ille` is.z connected-i through la. discharge conduit I7 .land -couplingl 8J@ to afspcial Vfitting!!! in vrvhichr-i's mountedo pellet@ deflectr in-.the frmof a screen or.V gratin@2li which screens out `.the pelletsY or other abrasivesi from `'the-Water or mixture of Watenand steamy discharged from the coi-lei Ufbutallows free'jnas-4 conduit 2I leading to a steam separator 22. The steam separator 22 is of conventional construction and is adapted to separate the steam from the water discharged from the coil I0. The steam rises into the upper end of the separator and is discharged therefrom through steam discharge pipe 22a. The water accumulates in the lower end 22a of the separator 22 and may be discharged therefrom through a valved outlet pipe 22C. When the water collected in the steam separator does not contain appreciated scale or mineral sludge it may be utilized, in the known conventional manner, as makeup water for the boiler, but if it is heavily laden with mineral scale or sludge it may be disposed of in any suitable manner.

Shunted between the ttings I2 and I9 is a bypass 23 including a branch conduit 24, an upper chamber 24e and a section 25 dening a lower chamber 25a. Both chambers are designed to receive a quantity of pellets 2B, the chamber 24e receiving the pellets as they are discharged from the outlet pipe 21 and the chamber l5a holds the charge of pellets in a position to be reintroduced into the coil I0 of the boiler. The said pellets are preferably in the form of small bits of hardened steel having sharp or abrasive edges, which may conveniently be cut from yhigh carbon steel rods of any desired cross-section. However, the invention contemplates any form of abrasive which may be used eiectively to break up the hardened mineral deposits in the tubing I0 and I do not intend to limit the scope of my invention in mentioning a particular form or type of abrasive.

The abrasive pellets are delivered from the upper chamber 24a into the lower chamber 25a through a valved opening 21. A valve seat of general funnel configuration defines said opening 21 and cooperates with a ball closure or valve 28 to l close the opening 21. The ball 28 is suspended on a link 29 pivotally connected at its upper end to a short lever arm 30 secured to a shaft 3l which is provided with a manually operable lever arm 32.

The lower end of container 25 has a discharge opening provided with a valve seat of funnel configuration against which normally rests a ball closure member or valve 34 which is attached to the upper end of a valve stem 35, the lower end of which passes through a packing gland 36 and 1s connected to an operating lever 31. A coil spring 38 biases the valve stem 35 upwardly and serves to hold the ball 34 on its seat until displaced by manual operation of lever 31.

At intervals dictated by scaling conditions, the operator manipulates the lever 31 to lower the ball 34, thus allowing the charge of pellets 25, or a portion thereof, to drop into the fitting I2, which forms a part of the feed water supply conduit. The charge of pellets are immediately propelled with great force through the coil l0 by the pressure and velocity of the feed water delivered through pipe I3. The charge of pellets in their movement through the water coil I0, performs scouring action on the inner surfaces of the coil and thereby removes all particles of mineral sludge and scale which may be adhering to the inner surface of the coil. The sludge and dislodged scale are carried into the steam separating chamber 22 by the mixture of water and steam discharged from the coil, but the pellets 26 are intercepted by the screen or grating 20, which deflects them downwardly into the receiving chamber 24a. The charge of pellets 2G are retained in the receiving chamber 24a, since the CFI valve 28 is normally closed during the blast or movement of the pellets through the tube I0. After all pellets have passed from the coil I0 into the receiving chamber 24a, they may be transferred from chamber 24e into chamber 25 by opening the valve 28 whereupon the pellets pass through said opening 21 into the lower chamber 2liB in readiness to be again passed through the coil I. A full or partial blast of pellets may be passed through the coil I0 as often as desired or necessary to keep the coil free of sludge and scale. The passing of the pellets through the coil does not interfere with the normal use of the boiler or steam generator. Consequently, the inventor makes it practical to utilize the Water tube type of boiler or steam generator.

The screen or grating 20 must be rugged to withstand for a long time the percussive and abrasive action of the shot. 1t may appropriately consist of a group of hardened steel plates 42 having their lower edges curved downwardly (see Fig. 2) and spaced apart laterally to a sufficient degree to allow steam, water and mineral sludge to pass freely into the separating chamber 22 but closely enough together to block passage of the pellets. The scale removed from the tubing is normally reduced to powder or ne granular form and will pass through the grat-V ing with the steam and water. The said grating 2G is preferably formed to be readily removed for purpose of repair or for replenishing the pellets 2E. To this end, the several spaced apart plates are xed to a base plate 29S which is removably attached by bolts 2Gb to a closure element 2d for closing one end of the tting I9. The closure element 20E is clamped in position by means of clamp bolts 20d.

When the equipment herein shown is utilized as a water heater in a hot water system, the steam separator chamber 22 will be entirely lled with water, but the scale and sludge carried into the chamber 22 with the water will settle to the lower portion of the tank, whereby this waste matter may be discharged from the tank 22, from time to time, by opening the valve 40.

When it is desired to flush and clean the coil I0 while the boiler is shut down, the Valve I4 and the feed water pipe I3 is closed and the valve I6 is opened to deliver water into the coil from the auxiliary water pipe l5. During this ilushing operation, the charge of pellets may be passed through the coil i@ as frequently as may be desired to thoroughly remove all mineral residue from the coil.

When the coils are cleaned during the normal operation of the boiler, the pellets 26 are passed through all coils of the boiler. be obvious from the disclosure in Fig. l that the pellets may be passed. through the individual coils by directly connecting the inlet and outlet of such coil with the chamber I8 and outlet conduit I1.

It will be observed also that while use of feed K However, it willV opening, means for delivering Water under pressure into said inlet end of said tubing, whereby the Water propels the abrasive material through said boiler tubing, means comprising a removable grating composed of a plurality of laterally spaced plates interposed in the discharge end of said tubing and formed With curved surfaces for engaging and deecting the abrasive material out of the path of movement of said fluid, and means defining a receiving chamber communieating With said tubing adjacent said grating to receive the deflected abrasive material.

2. The combination with a water heating or steam generating system including a tubular heating unit having a Water inlet end and an outlet end, a feed water supply conduit connected to said inlet end, a discharge conduit connected to said outlet end, a pellet-holding container located above the feed Water supply conduit and having a discharge opening at its bottom leading into said feed water supply conduit, a manually operable valve normally closing said discharge opening, a pellet-receiving container communicating with said discharge conduit, deector means located at the junction of said pelletreceiving container and said discharge conduit and operative to divert pellets away from said discharge conduit into said receiving chamber, means defining a passageway between said receiving container and said holding container, and a manually operable valve for opening and closing said passageway.

ALICK CLARKSON.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,046,591 Hickmott Dec. 10, 1912 1,216,811 Ingles Feb. 20, 1917 1,642,610 Ingles Sept. 13, 1927 1,808,870 Strasburg June 9, 1931 2,011,323 Remick Aug. 13, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 19,846 Great Britain Sept. 5, 1907 28,866 The Netherlands Aug. 15, 1932 

